Edwin Jackson implodes; Cubs routed by Giants, 8-3

Veteran right-hander Edwin Jackson turned in his shortest outing of the season as the San Francisco Giants plated seven runs in the first three innings en route to an 8-3 win over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field Wednesday night.

Jackson (6-14, 6.09 ERA) lasted just 2 2/3 innings, allowing seven earned runs on eight hits and two walks. The rough outing marked one of the right-hander’s worst of his still-young Cubs tenure. The seven earned was the third-most he has allowed in a start this season, and the most since he gave up nine earned runs in 3 2/3 innings against the Braves in mid-July.

San Francisco’s (66-58) four-run first was capped by a two-run double off the bat of Travis Ishikawa. It was just the beginning of the Giants’ offensive outburst, which included three-hit efforts by both Ishikawa and second baseman Joe Panik. As a team, the visiting Giants tallied a staggering 14 base hits.

Chris Valaika, who started second base after Javier Baez had to shift over to shortstop to cover for Starlin Castro, who left the team to deal with a personal emergency, answered back for Chicago in the bottom of the second, clubbing his first home run of the season – a clubbed shot into the left field bleachers.

Trailing 4-2, a brief hope emerged for the Cubs (54-71), but Jackson allowed three more runs in the third inning when Ishikawa added another RBI double to make it 5-2. Andrew Susac broke things wide open with his first career blast, taking a 1-1 pitch from Jackson and depositing it into the first row of bleachers in right field, prompting boos from the home faithful.

The Giants added just one more run – via a solo blast by Hunter Pence in the fourth – as several Chicago relievers combined to allow just the lone run in 5 1/3 innings of work in relief of Jackson. The Cubs’ bats weren’t silent in the loss, pounding out 11 hits against San Francisco pitching. Luis Valbuena led the way with three base knocks and John Baker added a pair of his own in the loss.

Giants starter Jake Peavy (3-12, 4.48 ERA) won his second straight decision as a member of the club, scattering ten hits and allowing two runs in a solid seven innings of work.

These two teams will resume what was once-considered to be a Cubs win from Tuesday night. The Giants won an appeal and the game will be picked up in the bottom of the fifth inning tomorrow evening at Wrigley Field prior to the scheduled matchup at 7:05 p.m. CT.